Chronicles of the Unknowns: Genesis

Chapter 1

It all started when I was hiding out in Pa's barn. He was having one of his fits and I didn't want to get caught in the cross fire.

I looked down at the bruises on my arms from his last tantrum. There was still a deep gash in my stomach. Not again, was all I could think. It echoed through my mind over and over again.

The barn door began to creep open. I was safe for the moment because I was up on the overhang near the top of the barn. Pa came storming in - his countenance was quite gruesome. A feral snarl erupted from him as his eyes scanned the interior of the barn. I tried not to quiver and squirm too much. I wasn't the skinniest person, but I wasn't the fattest either.

It was almost as if he could smell my fear. If he really had that ability then my scent certainly increased when he tilted his head upward and surveyed the top of the barn. His eyes met mine.

"Get down here Daisy Lynn!" he shouted.

My heart felt like it was about to fly out of my chest. I fell back on my bottom in a panic. There was some shuffling down below for a few moments followed by an eery silence. I decided to take a risk and peek down over the ledge. Pa had a ladder in his hands. I could see his knife sticking out of his pocket.

"Not again," I whispered to myself.

I scooted backwards as far as I could. My breathing was uneven and my heartbeat was even worse. Suddenly the top of the ladder appeared with a loud thud. I couldn't think. The black hole that was fear was consuming my mind. Tears ran down my face and a sob wracked my body. I could hear Pa grunting as he climbing the ladder.

There was nothing I could do. Once again the fear that my father struck into me had reverted me to the helpless state of a toddler.

"No," I moaned.

His hand appeared at the top of the ladder and his face wasn't too far behind. His chuckle sickened me. He was halfway on the ledge before I began to crawl away, tears clouding my vision. Suddenly I felt his hand wrap around my ankle and drag me back to him. I heard him snap his blade and felt the cool metal press against my Achilles tendon.

"Nonononono," I cried.

"Let me go Pa! PLEASE!"

All he did was laugh and growl and his face twisted up with a madness I couldn't understand.

I couldn't think. I wiped the tears from my eyes and looked at how they formed a small pool in my hands. I'd been crying like this for years and Pa has never cared. Maybe he should feel what tears are like for a change. I threw my tears at him.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Three shards of ice landed in the wall on the opposite side of the barn. Pa was clutching his face. When he pulled his hands away there were three gashes across his face.

"You BITCH!!" he shouted.

I had no idea what had just happened but the tears hadn't dried on my face. I wiped them away and they formed another pool in my hand. It was perfectly round. Odd.

Pa had hoisted himself up on the overhang. There was no way to escape. I looked over the ledge.

Not again, was all I could think. I pushed myself over the edge and hit the ground hard. I heard something crack, but I couldn't tend to my wounds because Pa was already climbing down the ladder. He was in much better shape than me. Despite that blaring fact, I tried to run away but I tripped cover a bucket. I saw that it was filled with water.

Pa's face was red as a beet and he'd reached the ground. He stormed right over to me, fists balled up so tight his knuckles looked ready to bust through. I put my arms up to protect my face and closed my eyed as he swung. A loud crunch echoes and Pa began to holler. I dared to open my eyes to get a peek. There was a wall of ice where my arms stood. Dumbfounded, I dropped my arms and the ice turned to water and fell to the ground.

I looked down at my trembling hands.

What was that?

As I flipped my hands over the water rose from the ground. I quickly dropped them and the water fell. I had no idea what was going on, but all I knew was that I had to get outta Dodge before Pa came to his senses and picked himself up from the floor. I turned around and ran, not quite sure where I was going.